Mathematics and the Brain

The American Mathematical Society, the American Statistical
Association, the Mathematical Association of America,
and the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics
announce that the theme for Mathematics Awareness Month
2007 is Mathematics and the Brain.

One of the most exciting challenges in modern science
is to fully understand the human brain and its mechanisms.
Mathematics plays a vital role in this research to understand
the mechanisms and function of the human brain from its
smallest components to the whole brain.

Mathematical models continue to play a central role
in understanding brain cells, their interaction, and
their function. The 1963 Nobel Prize was awarded to Alan
Lloyd Hodgkin and Andrew
Huxley for a model that uses differential equations
to approximate the electrical characteristics of excitable
cells. Their original model described the ionic mechanisms
underlying the initiation and propagation of action
potentials in the squid
giant axon and led to many later developments to
model brain activity at the single neuron level. Learn
more . . .

Mathematics Awareness Month is sponsored each year by the Joint Policy Board for Mathematics to recognize the importance of mathematics through written materials and an accompanying poster that highlight mathematical developments and applications in a particular area.
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